U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,237, issued to Turner, teaches an armored panel construction for a shelter to defeat ballistic fragment and thermal radiation threats comprises an inner structural panel of aluminum alloy sheets bonded to a honeycomb core and an outer face panel of an aramid fiber fabric in a multi-ply resin matrix laminate. The face panel is said to be in a specific spaced relationship to the inner structural panel such that the energy of an impacting projectile is distributed over a large area and the face panel is allowed to flex inwardly in the absorption of such energy.
McQuilkin, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,226, provides a structural armor assembly including a superplastically formed sandwich member having on one side one face sheet of high toughness, high-strength titanium alloy material, and on the other side a second face sheet made of non-superplastically formable metal matrix composite abrasive material. Abrasive materials in the form of KEVLAR or SPECTRA are provided inside cells in the sandwich member to serve as a “catcher's mitt” to absorb part or all of the energy of the ballistic fragments after they have been abraded by the material of the second face sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,824, issued to Johnson et al., describes bridge girt assemblies, and modular building panels, for use in fabricating walls, floors and roofs of buildings. The panels have structures adapted to protect the interior of the building from intrusion of heat and cold, and/or from fire, and/or from small arms gunfire. Some embodiments of the invention of Johnson et al. also provide mechanical reinforcing connections between the building structural members and the outside of the building. The modular panels can be made entirely with noncombustible materials.
Jordan, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,118, discloses a damage resistant sandwich panel having a first outer face sheet for forming an outer face, a second inner face sheet for forming an inner face, and a core sandwiched between the first outer face sheet and the second inner face sheet. The core is a corrugated sheet having a plurality of elongated crests, a plurality of elongated valleys, and bridging core material between the elongated crests and the elongated valleys. This bridging core material is disposed at acute angles relative to each of the elongated crests and the elongated valleys. The first outer face sheet, the second inner face sheet and the core are constructed from a material having a tensile yield strength (elastic limit) in excess of 20,000 psi and a tensile strain to yield ratio exceeding 2.0%; a preferred material is fiber glass. The elongated crests of the core are fastened to the outer face sheet and the elongated valleys of the core are fastened to the inner face sheet to provide a first and largest spatial separation between the outer face sheet and the inner face sheet. When compressed by forces impacting the outer face sheet and/or the inner face sheet, the elongated crests and the elongated valleys of the core compress against the outer face sheet and inner face sheet to dispose the bridging core material between the elongated crests and the elongated valleys substantially normal to the outer face sheet and the inner face sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,495, issued to Wright teaches a structural panel having one or more face sheets bonded by adhesive layers to a core body having two outer plastic liner sheets fusion-bonded to linear ends of inner plastic truss elements spaced apart with open spaces therebetween extending in a plane direction of the plastic liner sheets. The sheet-to-sheet adhesive bonding is said to provide a high-strength laminate bonding that is very resistant to delamination, simple and inexpensive, and can be carried out by a preferred continuous sheet bonding technique. The all-plastic core body is said to be highly resistant to moisture attack, and the open spaces between truss elements provide flexibility to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. Wright states that his truss construction of the core body provides high compressive and shear strength, while minimizing the amount of material required to be used. In one preferred embodiment, two metal face sheets are used, and the core body has plastic liner sheets fusion-bonded to a corrugated plastic core sheet. The corrugated plastic core sheet can be formed by a continuous plastic extrusion technique. Diagonal plastic webs or perpendicular plastic I-beams may also be used for the truss elements.
Bryant, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,704, provides a structural building panel including a composite truss member having transverse truss elements defining an undulated shape, and first and second composite skins, formed by a pultrusion process. A composite connector extends along a side edge of the panel, the connector including a tongue and a groove adjacent one another defining an inside face having an elongate aperture therein that extends parallel to the side edge. The connector may slidably engage with a similar connector on an adjacent panel, the tongues and groove interlocking such that the apertures together define a channel through which a rod-like locking member may be received. Composite connection systems are provided in the invention of Bryant for connecting composite wall panels to a foundation and to connect composite roof panels to the wall panels. The connection systems include interlocking connectors having apertures for receiving locking members. A base connector may be bolted to a foundation, wall panels may be placed on the base connector, and a base retaining clip attached to the base connector to secure the wall panels to the base connector. A cap member may be attached to an upper edge of the wall panels, a plurality of roof panels placed on the cap member, and a cap retaining clip attached to secure the roof panels to the wall panels. Corner members including connectors are provided for connecting wall panels at corners of the building structure being erected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,858, issued to Cahill, describes a laminate wall structure which can be used as an exterior wall in manufactured housing and site built construction which is made up of a low density layer having a density of from about one-half pound to three pounds per cubic foot, a second, reinforcing layer laminated to the low density layer and, optionally, a cellulosic layer laminated to the second, reinforcing layer. The low density layer is said to be preferably a foamed polymer layer, the second, reinforcing layer is a polymer fabric, a biaxially oriented polymeric film or a fiberglass reinforced material and the cellulosic layer can be impregnated with an adhesive and/or resin in order to strengthen the laminate structure. This laminate wall structure is said to have a low weight yet be strong enough to meet wind zone wall diaphragm requirements for housing construction.
Santa Cruz et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,008, disclose a building that may be assembled from only interconnecting corrugated sheets without the need for expensive brackets or specialized assembly tools and which is said to be quick and easy to construct using the inventive construction method as taught therein. The building further provides a roof construction that is extremely strong and is said to eliminate the need for typical roof trusses. Also the building can be custom designed and used for any purpose of consumer choice, and may be sold as a kit with complete assembly instructions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,865, issued to Douglas, teaches a polymeric panel system and method for production and use thereof, enabling the rapid construction of a building foundation wall or other structure and in particular a below-grade foundation. The polymeric foundation system includes polymeric wall panels and other components suitable for withstanding lateral and end compression loads. The walls include two parallel faces separated by a series of webs or ribs, where the webs and faces of the wall panels may be formed of a similar polymer material such as polyvinylchloride (PVC). The wall panels and/or other components may be extruded so as to enable the rapid production of sections of wall panels, where the panels may be cut to length and then affixed to adjacent panels to form a foundation wall. The method of affixing adjacent panels may include welding, gluing or other techniques and may be performed on the job site or in a pre-fabrication facility. Furthermore, the wall panels may be co-extruded with an insulating material inserted in the voids between the parallel faces so as to provide improved thermal performance of the foundation as well.
Forrester et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,250, provide a building or insulating panel including a collapsible frame of generally square or rectangular configuration, which is collapsible between a generally flat condition and an erected condition in which it is installed. The frame including overlying top and bottom sheets that are generally parallel and spaced apart in the erected condition of the frame by two webs which are spaced apart to extend in generally parallel relationship lengthwise along opposite side regions of the frame. The webs extend substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom sheets in the erected condition and are disposed substantially parallel to the top and bottom sheets in the collapsed condition. The panel further includes reinforcing means which is inserted between the top and bottom sheets when the frame is in the erected condition to reinforce the panel against collapse. The insulating panel may have an intermediate sheet disposed between the top and bottom sheets which is adhesively connected to each of the top and bottom sheets. The intermediate sheet is formed as a corrugated sheet and at least one of the top and bottom sheets and the intermediate sheet are formed from reflective insulating foil to create a reflective air space.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,624, issued to Swiszcz et al., describes a structural panel for use in building structures or in the formation, finish or decoration thereof which includes an outer sheet and a connector sheet with a plurality of collapsible or compressible dividers therebetween. The panel in a rest condition is expanded and of a desired thickness for final use but can be compressed into a relatively thin thickness or profile for shipping purposes. The panel is very lightweight but structurally strong and can be selectively bent in one transverse direction if desired. The panel can be easily cut or formed into any predetermined size or shape.
Hallissy et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 7,406,806, disclose blast resistant prefabricated wall panels containing at least one panel consisting of two structural boards having a thermoset resin-impregnated fiber reinforcing layer therebetween and extending from sides of the panel, the extension wrapped at least partially around metal sole and top plates of a metal sole plate, top plate, and stud construction. The panels are said to be capable of resisting explosive blasts without forming secondary projectiles, and are preferably attached to a building structure by energy absorbing deformable brackets.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,508, issued to Dickinson et al., teaches a shelter comprising a roof, a floor, and a plurality of side walls secured to the floor and the roof. At least one of the floor, the roof; and the plurality of side walls comprises an exterior panel, an interior panel, and an attachment device secured to the exterior panel and the interior panel for relative movement of the exterior panel and the interior panel between collapsed and expanded positions. An associated method of assembling the shelter is also disclosed.
Terry et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 7,913,611, disclose a protection structure comprising an open cell core structure, a top face sheet coupled to the core structure, a bottom face sheet coupled to the core structure distal from the top face sheet, a projectile arresting layer coupled to the top face sheet distal from the core structure and a fragment catching layer couple to the bottom face sheet distal from the core.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,240, issued to Hughes, Jr., provides a ballistic resistant construction panel having a series of elongated channels formed by coupling a corrugated member to adjacent planar wall members. These channels are filled with sand to provide the ballistic resistance of the panel. The panels are constructed of a fiber-reinforced plastic material and may be assembled together to form a temporary shelter.
Leahy, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,590,264, describes systems and methods providing a modular building having pre-fabricated panel wall components are easily assembled to form a predetermined structure that provides for mating alignment and securement of the modular panels with each other along their adjoining seams, without requiring additional locking mechanisms for stabilizing the panels.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2004/0060245, in the name of Loblick et al., teaches a shelter construction kit including at least six composite panels which are identical prior to the positioning of access openings. Each of the six composite panels has a first side edge having an integrally formed male coupling and a second side edge having an integrally formed female coupling. Each of the first side edge and the second side edge extend outwardly at 45 degrees from the first flat face to the second flat face. When the first side edge of one panel is coupled to the second side edge of another panel in a first orientation the coupled panels are on a common plane. When the first side edge of one panel is inverted and coupled to the second side edge of another panel in a second orientation the coupled panels form a 90 degree corner. Roof/wall interface brackets are also provided by Loblick et al., to secure the roof panels in place along with assembly instructions describing how to couple the panels.
Meeker, in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0248827, provides a ballistic barrier wall constructed of a pair of spaced vertical surfaces connected by 2×4s, 2×8s or other boards and filled with sand. The outside is spray-coated on both vertical sides with an elastomeric polymer mixture. Panels or walls are connected to other panels and to floor or wall surfaces by straight brackets and angle brackets. The multiple vertical layers of the panel are said to trap bullets, armor piercing shells, bomb shrapnel or other ballistic elements in the wall.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0078038, in the name of Borazghi, describes a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite panel. One use of the panel is to construct bridge decks although the panel may have several other uses. It comprises two flat plates formed of commingled glass fiber reinforced polypropylene secured in spaced parallel relationship to a core. The core is formed by either two corrugated sheets interconnected together along connecting ridge sections or else by a plurality of elongated glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (FRP) channel members disposed transversely between the flat plates. The corrugated sheets or channel members form hollow core spaces between the two flat plates and the core material and these hollow spaces are filled with a filler material to add stability to the panel. Both the flat plates and the core material are formed of commingled glass fiber reinforced polypropylene.
Improved structural insulated panels are always desired in the art. Such panels should be light weight, able to be quickly and easily assembled into structures with available fasteners, and should afford the inhabitants with a measure of protection from blast and ballistics events. Optionally, these panels should be able to incorporate the signal defense films such where the assembled shelters are used for constructing sensitive compartmented information facilities (“SCIFs”).